View out the north window of the Kitchen ModuleWith framing about to begin on the third living module, the framing for the corner window was coming into question. As the current design was being developed, the idea for a corner window was brought to life. The window came from the desire to have a panoramic view from the living module's workstation. However, putting a window in the corner of a building can have negative affects on the building's energy performance. It is said that the majority of a building's heat loss occurs at corners and around windows and doors. This corner window thus would have a very negative impact on the building's energy performance. This strong desire to keep this window also led to several other challenges including the building's structural capabilities as well as the physical construction of the window itself. For more information about the development process of this window see "ELEMENT Design Development: Panoramic Window" entry.
This week it is said that the window in question will be framed out in the corner to solve both the structural and fabrication issues while also helping to negating some of the efficiency issues which had come into question. Aesthetically, the panoramic feel of the window is sure to be damaged by placing a stud and two frames in the middle of the view. While details of the window were not available on the day of the site visit, next weeks entry should discuss how the window framing comes together.
